Device for shuffling cards



Oct. 13, 1925. 1 1,556,856

'- L. P. LIPPS DEVICE FOR SHUFFLING CARDS Filed Feb. 28. 1924 lnuerjtor:

Lows E Llpps Hus Attorngy Patented Oct. '13, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,556,856 PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIE 1'. LIPPS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB -'1O GEORGE C. WING,TRUSTEE, OF

' CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DEVICE 1'03 snurnmne ems.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS P. LIPPS, a citizenof the United States, and a'resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for ShufllingCards, as to which'the following is a Sllfilr ciently full, clear, andexact description to enable one skilled in the art to which it relatesto make and use the same without. other or more particular explanation.

The invention belongs moreespecially to the type of shufllers whereinthe means and mechanisms involved are for the most part, not for thepurpose of directly'moving the cards themselves, but to free and clearthe way for them, under the influence of gravity alone, to fall in suchposition, succession and direction that their relative order will bechanged in the process, and, at the close, the cards be broughttogetherin a freshly shuflied and ready-for-use pack.

As compared with devices that rely upon special mechanisms to directlyhandle the cards and force their movements in spite of friction or otherobstructions, the gravity type of shufiler, such as is herein setforthso organizes the elements and conditions of the problem as to overcomethese difliculties and do away with the need of special mech- I anismsto 'such end.

This distinction, as will be later observed,

is manifested and provided for in theinvention under exam1nat1on,. amongother features, by firm, unitary means, based on physical rather thanmechanical considerations, for compelling the cards to successively andevenly take off from their ini tial station for the shuflling process,by so posturing the pack at such station, that not only the frictionlofthe cards between themselves, and their supports, is materiallyminimized, but the cards, at the same time, are thereby best disposedtoward their redetermined course downward, byi guiding them in suchcourse by parts that function for the most part, not by any prolon edfrictional bearings and restraints, at through tangential or otherinstantaneous contacts along the path of descent, and, b appropriateprovisions whereby fallen car s instantly clear themselves fromfollowing cards inthe various stages of the shuffling process.

gatesfirespectively, shown in Generally summarized, the purpose andobject of said invention, may be said to be to provide an alwaysreliably workin machine for shufiling playi cards an like articles, thatis free from rail, complicated and expensive parts and mechanisms, and,by which a scientific and wholly incalculable shuflle of the packisautomatically and rapidly effected without other handling or personalparticipation in the process, than is required to simply place the packupon an open receiving table or ledge-like sup, port at the to andslightly move a starting memberfor t e pur e.

In the drawings i re I is a front elevation of the shuflier; igure II aView on the line w--a2 of Figure I; Figure III a fragmentary view of arear elevation of the device with certain parts omitted; Fi ure IV, asectional view on the line may of i ure II; Figure V, a plan view of thesli ,able support for the pack; Figure VI a plan view of a series ofgates for closing the compartments into which the pack is distributedduring the shuflling process, and, Figures VII, VIII and IX are sideviews of mechanisms for actuating the SIiPPOIt and igures V and Thedevice comprises a hollow frame or :housing A, which may be of anysuitable inaterial or design. For convenience of explanation the frontand rear walls of the ousing aredesignate'd on the drawing by,respectivel" A and A and the sides by A.

' The shu er has a receptacle- 0, at the top for the placement of thepack, which, as shown in the figures, may be made up of the enclosingwalls of the frame at that point.

In this form the receptacle extends down a suitable distance tovaccommodate the pack to a generally upright position and is normallyclosed at the bottom by a plate-like platform S. The interior faces ofthe walls of the receptacle 0, are vertical except the face of thefourth or rear wall a, which is inclined outwardly to an angle whichshould not be less than the natural slope of the cards. I

The platform S is rectan ular and is slid ably seated crosswise of t eframe or box A, beneath the receptacle 0, within opposite coincidentalslots 8 and a in the sides of the frame for the purpose. Openings 7)lengthwise of the same, through which the cards are to fall during theshufiling process.

In order to reduce the frictional area between the cards and the plateat the point where they are thus to take-off or fall, incurves to, ufrom th direct line of said passageway are introduced as shown in thedrawin A rod, or prolong r, to connect with plate actuating mechanismhereinafter pointed out, is attached to the forward end of said plate S.

At a predetermined point below the platform support S, at a distanceapproximately equal to the vertical dimensions of the cards when fallingtherefrom, a series D of divisional members D D D is arrangedtransversely of the shufller to receive the cards within the interspacesor compartments between said members.

Besides composing a series of compartments for this purpose, the membersthereof are adapted by the shape and location of their upper portions d,to serve, as guides for the cards between the members along the naturalline of their descent, when free to fall by gravit to points below.

To this en the members are arched or rounded along their upper edges(Figure I as well as somew at sharpened, and rigidly fastened to thesides of the shufller in the planes of said lines, and have theirguiding surfaces at a pitch to correct an tlaendency of the cards todeviate from such mes.

On the other hand, in order to afford a shelter for the cards as soon asthey arrive at the foot of said compartments, from the cards thatfollow, the lower portions (1 of said members are retracted from a ointbehind the front'or guiding faces of t e upper portions 0! of the sameto form a recess or undercut across said members, and downwardly fromsaid upper ortions towards the base. The upper portions d, will thusproject from and overhang the lower portion (2 like the horizontal eavesof a roof.

It will be plain that the heights 'or up-.

Is as members.

ngth for said upper or guide portions of 1 It will also be evident, thatit will be advisable, as supplementary to the set of compartments inauestion, to similarly undercut the correspon ing guiding face of therear wall A of the frame where it adjoins the rearmost divisional memberof the series, and, together therewith, makes up the last compartment ofthe set in use.

In a device wherein the working parts and mechanisms are relativelylocated as in the figures, the series of divisional members justdescribed, will be arranged at an upward slant from the rear wall Atoward the front wall A. j

The set of hopper-like compartments just described necessarily haveapertures at the bottom of the same, and means must be pro.- vided foropening and closin these apertures as the operation of shu ing requires.

The means shown consists of a unitary series T, of transverse grid-valveplates or gates T of similar dimensions as the apertures they serve,alternating with a series of oblong slots t, t t t. The series'T isrectangular and movably seated, beneath the compartment series,crosswise of and within the frame A, in grooves '12, v, in the sidesthereof for the purpose; A rod 7 is conveniently attached to the end ofthe part T for connecting the same to mechanism for oscillating the partin the manner to be more particularly referred to. Openings 7' and p inthe front and rear walls of the frame are provided to accommodate theoscillation of the part T upon its groove seats '0, "v.

The bases of the divisional members D D D must be sufficiently, thick,or other wise extended, to shield the slots t, t, t, i when the platesare beneath said apertures.

The interior faces of the front and rear walls A and A of the frame,below the series of divisional members D, conver e' downwardly towardsthe bottom of t e.

shufller to guide and deflect the cards inthat direction, and, betweenthe walls along thesides of the frame A for a like purpose, cheeklikeguides C,'are arranged inopposite, coincidental pairs that severallypoint downwardly through the chamber below. The guides C will bestanswer their purpose if given a length approximately the same as theheight or downward dimension of the cards as they fall.

The front wall, however, is prolonged and continued in its downwardcourse to a distance above the base of the shufiler some what less thenthe height of the cards, at which point the front wall ends across itsentire breadth. The remaining or lower interior space 1n the frame A,below the series of ides 0, serves as a chamber B, within which thecards are to re-assemble themselves into the shuflled paclar. Ascontributmg to this purpose, a fixed floor-like support F for the cardsas they escape from arrange themselves into the compartments in theseries D extends upwardly from the base from behind the projected planeof the inner face of the front wall A, towards the rear of the shufier.Atno part of its upward inclination is the floor F nearer to the frontwall A than the thickness of the pack, and the] angle of its inclinationwith the base, should F, the latter is shown as a single piece ex-'tending across the chamber B, it will bemanifest, that, for all otherpurposes, skidlike pieces, on parts, for instance, or shorter transversepieces, may be used instead.

Between'the upper end of the floor Fland the lower end of the rear wallA an open space N, is left across the frame A, through which theshuflied pack may be grasped and removed. f r

As a stop and resistance to the cards as, they slide down the floor F, apart or piece, F extends obliquely outward from and along the lower edgeof said floor to a ,dis-

tance abovethe floor that somewhat exceeds the thickness'of the pack Theangle of its inclination with the floor is preferably, a little lessthan a right angle.

It remains to explain the particular means illustrated in the figuresforautomatically operating the movable 'parts.,i n-' A olved inthedevice and bringing about the gravity shuflie designed, I

In Figure II all parts are.re zxresented .as in their normal positionsiand set for being started for the shufllingprocess.

I-I isa housing or supporting said mechanism. It is fastened to the;front of theshufller body, or box A.

In the up er'part of the housing, a fourarm lever is centrally mountedupon a shaft h which passescrosswise of thehousingand? issupported' atits ends in the sides thereof.

As positioned in the drawings, an arm Z,

of the lever L, projects above the shaft to meet the rod 1' when thelatter is extended horizontally from the front wall of,the box and theplate S is in closing place below the. receptacle 0. It is pivotallyconnected topthe rod, in sue relation, b a pin 1*. A second arm Z 0wardly from the shaft towards the shufller box A. It carries an upwardlymoving tripthe lever" extends in-- finger f, to engage with a stopf onthe arm, and thereby limit any downward movement ofv the forward end ofthe tripper around its fulcrum'point. Below thels'haft h, acorrespdnding shaft k ,v extends cross-' wise of the housing H and, onthe shaft; a

three-arm lever L is centrally mounted; One of its arms Z is upright,another Z projects outwardly from the shaft to 'connect pivot'ally withtheouter end of'the rod rP-and the third arm, Z inwardly towards the boxA. The latter arm is specially weighted to return the. arm to its normalplace upona stop-rod f located between the sides of the box A for thatpurpose.

"From a given point on the arm Z, of the" lever L, a rigid arm Z extendsdownwardly a suitable distance to engage the arm Z when the lever'L isrotated on itsfshaft for the purpose. The fourth arm Z,\is,on theopposite side of the shaft h, and radiatesv outwardly therefrom, aboveand inposition to meet the shaft. 71, ,hereinafter specified andy'stopfurther revolution of-the lever L around'the shaft h; when the arm L isin normal upright position.

, Ator below the outer end of the arm Z,

is a third shaft 72. extending crosswise of the housing H, upon which isfulcrumed a lever L by which the mechanism is set; in motion for theshufiie. The leverIi passes downwardly from its fulcrum 7;? along theside of the lever L, to a point below) the innerarnr Z and,upwardly-onthe-other side of the fulcrum, through a hole E in the frontof the housing H, tOwH. sufficient dising handle,orthumbpiece, E Anauxili jects inwardlyjof the housing above the shaft h, in the plane ofthee'starting lever,

-.;j A pin f extends in a horizontal dim tion from the inner side of thelever L across the curvilinear path of the outer, end of the tripper I,to engage and lift the tripper when the lever is revolved upwardl aroundits shaft h from below said en and to engage and rest upon the top ofsaid end, when-the lever revolved downwardly by gravity from a pointabove. (See Figures II, IV VII, VIII and IX.)

Provision to stop the upward movement of the outer, or handle, end ofthe lever L is insured "by suitably locating the upper end of the holeE, for the purpose.

The moment of the several lever arms and parts shown the drawings, mustbe such as under thetconditions appearing, will suffice .topro uce thecorrespondlng movements designed, thatis to say, the moment oflthe armZ? for instance around the fulcrumof thecompound lever L, while said armis carrying the weighted arms L and tance to present its outer end as anoperatfour edges upon the platform S, in an inclined position againstthe rear wall a,

L, and distributingthe pack from its position on the, platform S intothe series of compartments D, must be so calculated as not only toovercome the friction of the platform, and the superimposed pack,

against the slotted seats 8 and 8 but, also,

after said arm Z? is freedof the weight W, to correspond with, themoment required to actuate the "lever L around its, fulcrum and overcomethe friction orinertiae of the movable series of valves T, in thegrooves a, '2), and the. weight of the super imposed cards in thecompartments; in both cases, the moments around the fulcrum of thelevers L and L, of the arms Z and Z, for returning severally, theplatform Sand the series T, to their normal closing positions, must beadequately calculated in each case.

In the drawings, the particular armsof the' levers involved that arespecially weighted forthe purpose of obtaining the moments referred to,are severally indicated by disklike outlines W, W ,W on said arms.Throughout the figures, arrows denote the direction of revolutions ofparts, and broken lines the angular positions to be assumed, or orbitsfollowedby the same.

i The operation of the machine is brought about by resting the pack ononei of its and pressing the protruding handle E of the lever Ldownwardly around its shaft until the opposite arm is raised upwardlyinto supporting engagement with the auxiliary lever L and the lattercarried above its normal place (Fig. VII). The handle E is then releasedof pressure and left free in the hole E, whereupon the lever L and thesuperimposed lever L will descend together a common orbit, until furtherdownward movementby the lever Lein arrested by contact -with thegshafth. The lever L iis so shapedthat such contact will occur simultaneouslywith the completion of the inward movement of the u right arm 1 wherebythe plate S is propelle across the bottom ;of;.th,e chamber (llDuringthis movement "the-- -cards. jundera the force of gravity-will ofcourse, slide off from each other in rapid succession through thepassageway P, in'vthe support ,into,h th'e several compartments betweenthe divisiona1 members composing the series D, and, as

such travel is finished, the parts are so spaced that the pin 7" willcome into engagement with the top of the rigid trippe'r I, and,thereupon lever L in such relatlon, will carry the lever L downward inits path, with a calculated remaining moment sufficient to actuate the"lower lever L and overcome the inertiae of the movable series of valvesT, beneath the compartments 1n the series D.

valves T have gradually passe embodie and wish to protect by LettersPatent, is :-t

This latter movement is effected by the engagement of the downwardlyextending arm Z on the lever L, with the upwardly extending arm Z "onthe lever L as shown in Figure IX,-' and the consequent rotation of thatlever around the shaft to a calculated extent topropel the movableseriesT, through the openings and until the d b neath the compartmentsin the series D, and the cards successively escaped thereupon, by theforce of gravity, into the chamber B, below.

At this stageof theshufiling operation, the calculated duration of theengagement betweenthe pin f and the top ofthe tripper I, willautomatically terminate by reason of the pin passing off the end of thetripper, whereupon, the moments of the weighted arms Z and Z will carryback their respective compound levers, and all parts involved, to theiroriginal or starting positions.

But slight practice will disclose the es sential value in the shufiiingoperation con-.

tributed by the features respectively of the I compartments 0r chamberbefore reaching their designed places therein.

By the arrangement shown the incline or slope, in. each case, isgenerally sufficient to" r instantly carry the ca onward towards itsdestined place, and beyond the lines of any disturbing impact of theoncoming cards.

Havin thus explained my invention as in a concrete form, what I claim 1.In a shuflier for cards and similar articles, the combination of acasing, a se ries of transverse compartments for the reception of thecards during the process of shuffling rigidly aflixed thereto, asupporting platform for the pack above said series in and movablyrelated to the casing, andmeans for gradually moving said supportbackwardly beneath. the pack in order to 211-; low the cards to fallinto the compartments below, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a 'shufiier for cards having a series of fixedtransversecompartments for the rece tion of the cards during the process of shuing, a plate-like support for the pack movably seated in the frame-workof theand means for gradually shufiier above, withdrawing said supportfrombeneath the in order to permit the cards to fall into said membersbelow, and means for gradually opening said gates in order to'permitcards within said compartment members to fall therefrom, substantiallyas shown and described.

4. In a card shuflier having a slidable support for the pack at the top,and a series of fixed upright compartment members, be-

neath said support. with apertures at the lower ends thereof andnormally closed gates beneath said apertures, the combina tion of meansfor gradually withdrawing said support from beneath the pack in order topermit the cards to fall into said members below and, thereafter,gradually opening said gates in order to permit the cards within saidmembers to fall through said apertures, and thereupon returningsaid'support and said gates to their positions first hereinbeforespecified,substantially as shown and described. e

5. In a card shuffier, the combination of a slidable support for thepack at the top, a.

series of upright compartment members provided with apertures for theescape of the cards at their lower ends, normally closed gates for saidapertures, a chamber below said series for the reception of the cards asthey fall through said apertures, and means for gradually withdrawingsaid support from beneath the pack to be shuffied, in order to permitthe cards to fall therefrom into the compartment members, and means for,thereafter, gradually opening said gates simultaneously in order topermit the cards to fall through said apertures, substantially as shownand described.

6. In a card shufiler the combination of a slidable support for the packat the top and crosswise of the same, a series of fixed uprightcompartment members provided with apertures for the escape of cards attheir lower ends, normally closed gates for said apertures, a chamberbelow said series for the reception of the cards as they fall throughsaid apertures. and means for gradually withdrawing said support frombeneath the pack to be shuffled in order to permit the cards to falltherefrom into said compartment members, and means for thereafter,gradually opening said gates simultaneously in order to permit the cardsto fall through said apertures, together with'means for, thereupon,closingsaid gates and drawing back said support to the position firstabove specified therefor, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a shuflier for cards and similar articles, having a fixed seriesof divisional sections for the reception of the cards between the sameduring the process of shuffling, the combination of a plate-likeslidable support for the pack above said series, means for holding saidpack obliquely on and with respect to said support, and means, while insuch position, for gradually withdrawing said support from beneath thepack in order to permit the cards to fall by the force of gravitydownwardly between said sections, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a card shuflier having a slidable support for the pack at the topand a series of fixed upright compartment members provided with passagesat their lower ends and normally closed gates therefor, beneath saidseries, guides within and on the sides of the shufiler, extendingdownwardly between said support and said series with their respectiveguiding faces in substantial alignment with and overhanging the passagesin the compartment member to which such face in each case pertains, achamber below said series for the reception of the cards as they fallfrom said series, and means, several- 1y, for gradually withdrawing saidsupport from beneath the pack in order to allow the cards to fall intosaid members, thereafter simultaneously, opening said gates in order toallow said cards to fall from said members into the chamber below, andthereupon, returning said support and gatesto the positions firsthereinbefore specified therefor, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a shuffler for cards, the combination of a series of upwardlyextending divisional sections, within and crosswise of the shuftler andfixedly attached to the sides thereof at predetermined intervals, theupper portion of said sections having guiding faces for the cards inalignment with and overhanging the intervals, a slidable support for thepack to be shufiled, above said series, an obliquely disposed movableseries of alternately arranged closure-pieces and open spaces, for saidintervals beneath and in normally closed relation with respect to saidintervals, a receiving chamber below said movable series for the cardsthat fall therefrom, having an obliquely I disposedorder to permit thecards to fall by gravity into said intervals, thereafter. to graduallymove said closure-pieces from their closed.

10. In a shufiier for cards, the combination of a series of upwardlyextending divisional sections, at predetermined intervals within andcrosswise of the shufller, the upper portion of said sections havingguiding faces for'the cards in alignment with and over-hanging saidintervals, a slidable support for the pack to be shuffled above saidseries, an obliquely disposed movable series of alternately arrangedclosure-pieces and open spaces for said intervals beneath and innormally closed relation with respect to said intervals, a receivingchamber below said movable series for the cards that fall therefrom,provided with an upwardly extending recess or cavity in the lowerportion of the wall of the same and a floor extending obliquelydownwardly into said recess or cavity in-a direction oppositeto thedirection of the designed movement. of said last named series, togetherwith suitable means for withdrawing said support from beneath the packin' order to permit the cards to fall by gravity into said intervalsupon said. closure-pieces, thereafter, to gradually move saidclosure-pieces from their closed relation with respect to said intervalsand bring the open spacesbeneath the same in order to thereby permit thecards to fall by gravity into said chamber, and upon the completion ofsaid movements, to reverse the same until said support, and saidclosure-pieces and open spaces, are brought back to their normal orstarting positions, sub

stantially as shown and described.

' 11. As a unitary device of the class described, the combination, witha casing for the same, of a slidable plate-like support for the pack atthe top, aseries of compartment-members, for the reception of the cardsin the intervals between the same, below said support, and rigidlyafiixed to and crosswise of the casing at a slant from the rear to thefront wall thereof,tthe said members having their upper portions at apredetermined pitch with respect to the natural line of the descent ofthe cards when free to fall by gravity from the support above, andhavingtheirlower portions undercut with respect to said upper portions,and being widened at their bases, a unitary series of grid-valve gatesfor closingthe intervals between said members movably seated beneathsaid compartment series, the intervening slot-like s aces correspondingin dimensions to sai intervals;

the front wall of the casing being prolonged below said members andbeing cut away or recessed along its inner face from a point nearer thebase of said device than the height of the cards, an inclined floorbeneath said members, extending obliquely downwards to within saidrecessed portion, together with means for slidably actuating saidsupport, and for moving said series "of gates, substantially as shownand described.

12. In a card-shufiler, the combination of an obliquely disposed seriesof fixed divisional members located at predetermined intervals, one withrespect to the others, a correspondingly disposed unitary series ofclosure-pieces for such intervals movably mounted beneath the same, andsuitable means for moving said last named series for its-designedoperation, substantially as shown and described.

13. In a card-shuflier, the combination of a slidable receiving-platformfor the pack, a fixed series of divlsional sections at predeterminedintervals beneath -the same, a unitary series of alternately arrangedclosure-pieces and slot-like apertures movably mounted below, the twosaid series being obliquely disposed with relation to said shufller,said intervals. and the base-width of said divisional sectionscorresponding respectively in dimensions with said closurepieces andsaid apertures, substantially as shown and described.

'14. In a' shufiler for playing-cards, the

combination with a casing for the same, of V a series of normally closedcompartments for the reception of the cards during the process ofshuflling, a chamber below said series for the assemblage of the cardsas they fall from their several compartments, the front wall of thecasin being suitably conformed to guide the car s toward a predeterminedpart of the floor of the chamber, and having its lower interior face cutaway, or recessed, at a predetermined distance above the base'of theshufiler, an inclined floor beneath said series extendin obliquelydownwards to within said recessed portion of said wall, and means foropenmg said compartments for the successive es-' cape of the cardstherein by gravity to the chamber below, and, means for normally closinthe same, substantiallyas shown and descri ed.

15. Ina shufiier for cards having a series of compartments from which,in the process of shufiling, the cards fall into an assemblage chamberbelow provided with an o 11 space, or cavity, in the lower part thereoan inclined floor in said chamber that extends downwardly, in thedirection of said series,

shown and described.-

LOUIS P. LIPPS.

